Hogilo hedgehog house

When did you last see a hedgehog?

If it was recently, you're very lucky. Hedgehogs have suffered a massive decline in numbers in recent years. Providing them with a cosy and safe place to shelter (and nest if you're really lucky!) is a great way to help them out.

This 'hogilo' hedgehog house is big enough for a whole family of spiky garden friends. It's spacious inside, sturdy, lightweight and waterproof and the hedgehogs can dig deeper if they wish.

Position the Hogilo somewhere quiet and cover with leaves and brushwood to create a cosy den.

Product information

When did you last see a hedgehog?

If it was recently, you're very lucky. Hedgehogs have suffered a massive decline in numbers in recent years. Providing them with a cosy and safe place to shelter (and nest if you're really lucky!) is a great way to help them out.

This 'hogilo' hedgehog house is big enough for a whole family of spiky garden friends. It's spacious inside, sturdy, lightweight and waterproof and the hedgehogs can dig deeper if they wish.

Position the Hogilo somewhere quiet and cover with leaves and brushwood to create a cosy den.

24 cm high and 52 cm diameter.

Advice

Positioning

Position the Hogilo somewhere quiet, out of the prevailing wind. Under shrubs is an ideal place as it will help to ensure the hedgehogs are undisturbed.

Cover the shelter with leaves and brushwood to camouflage it and create a cosy den.

Hedgehog houses may be used for winter hibernation, throughout the summer as a safe shelter, or, if you're very lucky, by a female making a nest to have her young. Hedgehogs need to be able to get from garden to garden to look for food. Solid fencing all-round will prevent them being able to travel between gardens. Consider making your garden more wildlife friendly.

Encouraging hedgehogs

You can encourage hedgehogs by providing them with suitable habitats. They like thick dense undergrowth and a variety of lengths of grass.

Hedgehogs have a varied diet and you may also be able to provide them with some supplementary hedgehog food. This is particularly useful during periods of drought when natural insect foods may be harder to come by. You can try Brambles hedgehog food, available from RSPB Shop and some other retailers.

Avoid giving hedgehogs milk, bread, and mealworms.

Protecting hedgehogs

Avoid using chemicals. Slug pellets can be particularly detrimental.

When putting preservative on garden sheds, fences and other wood furniture around the garden use non-toxic brands. Hedgehogs often lick new smells and surfaces.

Many plastic items can trap, ensnare or cut a hedgehog. These include netting, plastic can holders, large necked bottles, plastic pots and barbed wire.

Hedgehogs can also easily fall down holes, into water troughs, ponds, swimming pools and other types of water vessel. If you cannot prevent them from falling in, then make sure there is always a way for them to get out. Dogs can injure hedgehogs, so make sure you know what your dog is doing when in the garden late at night.

If you accidentally disturb an active hedgehog nest, carefully replace the material. The hedgehog will soon repair or move the nest elsewhere. If there are young in the nest, avoid touching them.

Similarly, if it is a hibernating adult, avoid waking it. Should it wake, you may want to leave it some food nearby until it hibernates again.

Delivery & returns

RSPB Shop offers a no-quibble free returns policy. We hope you will be delighted with every purchase, but if not, we will offer you a replacement or a full refund - whatever the reason. Just let us know within 90 days of delivery by contacting our customer service team on 0345 034 7733. Full details of our returns policy >